Navy Will Test Crew Of Wasp For Tb

Sailor And Marine Catch The Disease

August 05, 1998|By WILLIAM H. MCMICHAEL Daily Press

NORFOLK NAVAL BASE — Every sailor and Marine stationed on the Norfolk-based amphibious warship USS Wasp is being tested for tuberculosis following the discovery of a second active case of the disease in a crew member, the Navy said Tuesday.

The latest case involved a Marine suffering from recurrent high fever who was transferred off the ship July 25 and subsequently diagnosed with active TB at Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital, N.C., according to Marine officials. The Wasp, then completing a six-month Mediterranean cruise, returned to Norfolk July 28.

In June, a sailor on the Wasp ill enough to be flown ashore to Rota, Spain, also was diagnosed with active TB.

Those cases, in addition to 46 crew members who tested positive for exposure to the disease during the deployment, prompted the Navy and Marines to expand testing from those who had close contact with the pair to all 2,100 service members assigned to the ship, said Cmdr. John Singley, spokesman for the Atlantic Fleet Naval Surface Force in Norfolk.

"One positive TB test is a concern when you have a captive population like a ship's crew," he said. "Right now, we're taking the prudent approach, and we're just going to skin-test everybody."

Those who test positive don't necessarily have the disease and aren't likely to spread it, Marine doctors say. "They have simply been exposed to the disease and have had an adequate immune response," said Navy Lt. Joseph McPhee, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit surgeon.

But doctors say such people can contract TB in the future. McPhee said those who test positive are given preventive antibiotics for six months.

The Marine who contracted the disease is being treated at Camp Lejeune, the Marines said. Two other Marines are currently being evaluated at the hospital for active TB. The sailor diagnosed in June is "responding well to the treatment" and has been returned to light duty following treatment at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Singley said.

Tuberculosis is a respiratory disease that is spread from person to person through the air through coughing, sneezing or other sharp exhalations. TB can also affect the brain, kidneys or spine. Symptoms include weakness, weight loss, fever, sweating at night, coughing, chest pain or coughing up blood. The disease can cause permanent body damage and death.

Testing of crew members and Marines not on leave continues today, the Navy and Marines said. Crew members on leave are being called and interviewed. Those with symptoms are being advised to immediately get a TB skin test; those without symptoms will be tested upon their return Aug. 12, Singley said.

The Wasp has 900 sailors and officers in its crew. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, has roughly 1,800 members.

According to Singley, the first tests on the Wasp sailor were negative. But test results received June 19 were positive for TB. At that point, sailors and Marines who'd had close contact with the sailor were tested. Of these, 21 sailors and six Marines tested positive.

All were evaluated with a chest X-ray, a physical examination and were prescribed the drug Isoniazid. None was determined to have active TB. Another 19 Marines who subsequently tested positive for TB while on the cruise don't have the disease, Singley said.

- Bill McMichael can be reached at 247-7862 or bmcmichael@dailypress.com